Mark Flanagan hopes for second time lucky as Brisbane fighter gets ready for world title shot against Arsen Goulamirian

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THERE was no money for bus fare so Mark Flanagan walked from the housing commission block to school every day. Eight kilometres there and eight kilometres back.

His was a tough neighbourhood in the back blocks of Townsville and just about every time he went to collect bread and milk for his family he also had to eat knuckle sandwiches from the rough kids who loitered around the supermarket.

His mum couldn’t afford to buy Flanagan footy boots and he didn’t even have the four bucks to train at the local police boys club so he is forever grateful to Dennis Clancy who took him under his wing and taught him boxing for free.

Camera IconMark Flanagan has his eyes on a world title.Picture: News Corp Australia

“I grew up really poor and I’ve always wanted to give my family a good start

“Bam Bam’’ Flanagan, proud housing commission boy, is now one of the world’s most feared punchers at 91kg and next month will have his second shot at a world cruiserweight title in two years.

Now living in Brisbane’s west with fiancee Karlah Adam and their five-week old boy Leo, Flanagan will fight Armenian-born Arsen Goulamirian for the interim WBA cruiserweight world title on October 20 in France.

He and his trainer John Bastable are working overtime at their Toowong gym to have Flanagan become Queensland’s latest world champion.

Flanagan impressed with his wholehearted effort in Russia last year against the great Denis Lebedev, climbing from the deck to go 12 gruelling rounds, and he now has the opportunity of lifting the championship at Marseille’s Palais des Sports.

“Goulamirian is a big guy, very tall and strongly built and he’s undefeated in 23 fights,’’ Flanagan said.

“He’s a stalker and that suits me because I hope he comes on to my punches. I was disappointed with my performance against Lebedev. He’s a legend in boxing and I was a bit overawed fighting him in Russia but that fight taught me that everyone is beatable.

“I should have thrown a lot more punches because when I did Lebedev felt them. But I let the chance get away.’’

Flanagan says the birth of his first child has given him another layer of determination ahead of next month’s title shot.

“I grew up really poor and I’ve always wanted to give my family a good start,’’ he said.

“Winning a world title would help set up my family for life and give them opportunities I didn’t have as a kid. I’ve always dedicated my boxing career to my mum and the rest of my family and I really want to bring home that world championship to Queensland as a reward to everyone who has believed in me over the years.

He has been sparring Brisbane fighters Aaron Russell and Ben Kelleher and will hit Melbourne next week to train with Olympian Jason Whateley. He will then fly to Philadelphia to spar with America’s former world champ Steve Cunningham for three weeks before heading to France.

“Last year I was given the opportunity to fulfil my dream in Russia but I lost to a legend,’’ Flanagan said.

“This time I promise to bring home the title for everyone who has believed in me for all these years. Second chances don’t come too often for someone like me and I plan to finally make that dream a reality.’’